Improvement in stuffing-boxes



nit-td" gants @wat dtjljliw.

Leners 1mm No. 93,518, ma August 1o, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN STUFFING-BOXES.

The Schedule referred to in these Lettera Patent and making part o! the same.

To all whom it mcyconcrn:

Be it known that I, WmLIAM H. T. CLARK, of the city andcouut'y of San Francisco, State of California, have invented a Metallic Stuffing-B0X; and I dohereby declare the following description and accompanyingv drawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains, to make and use my said invention or improvements withoutfurther invention or experiment. d

The object of my'invention is to provide an improved metallic stuffing-box or packing for the pistonrods of steam-engines or pumps, propeller-shafts, and for making a tight joint in all cases where there is a rod or shaft moving partly within a medium under pressure, and partly outside( of that medium; but the stuffing-box is so constructed that itallows considerable side'motion to the rod or shaft, and, in caseof -any portion of the machinery getting out of line, therod will not bear against the sides of the opening in vthe cyl -luder-head, or the stuting-box, nor depend upon them to guide it.

To eifect this, I construct a stnliingbox with a giand or follower, as in the cylinder-head of a steamengine Within this stuffing-box is placed a short cylinder, with a cover at each end, and containing the packingrings,'\`vhich may number ten or more, ve in each of the two compartments into which the cylinder is divided.

The pistou-rod passes through the ends of this short cylinder, and also through the contained rings or disks, which are cut at various point-s ou their circumference, and are kept close to the rod by encircling springs,.so 'that the rod passes perfectly steam-tight through the cylinder.

Ihe two ends of the packing-cylinder may be faced, or have an elastic packing, which makes itsteamtight against the interior face. of the gland and the end of the stuiling-box.

Ihe openings through the gland, by wliicl1the-rod passes out from the st uiiing-box, are considerably larger than. the rod, so that it will not press against the sides, if any portion of the machinery gets out of line.

To more fully describe my invention, reference isA made to the accompanying drawings, and letters of reference, of which- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section.

A is a portion of the cylinder-head of a steam-engine or pump, and B is a cage projecting from it, as in the ordinary form of stuffing-box; C is the gland or follower; and in order to apply my invention, these parts are not materially varied from the present forms, except that the different openings, through which the piston-rod passes, are made considerably larger than the rod, so as to permit a lateral motion without its pressing against, or being in'. any way guided by the sides of these openings, 4if it gets out of line. y

In order to prevent the escape of steam, I place within the cage a short cylinder, D, which has a perforated diaphragm, a, in the centre.

Within this cylinder, and at each side of the diaphragm, the packing-rings or disks b b are placed, and

the covers c c are then fitted to the ends of the cylinder.

The disks are cut, as shown at E, and are encircled in close contact with the piston-rod.

In -order to make thedisks 4break joints, and remain steam-tight, they are formed with a pin, e, and a corresponding cavity, g, in the two adjoining disks, which prevent them turning.

The heads or ends of the cylinder D may be faced, or elastic disks h may b eplaced between the ends and the interior ends of the ,stuffing-box, thus preventing der D. Y The disks b b all it loosely within the cylinder D, and those which rest against the heads c c andthe diaphragin a are solid. Those which are between these solid ones are cutas before described.

The operation is as follows:

When steam is admitted to the forward end of the cylinder, some of .it willescape into the stuiing-box, and, being prevented from passing around the outside of the cylinder D by the packing h, it will enter ,it around the piston-rod, and expand between the first solid disk b and the cut disk next to it, also passing around the outside of the disks, and tending to keep them in close contact with the rod.

The pressure will also force the first solid disk b closely against the head c, .and all the disks between the rst one andthe diaphragm a will be kept in close contact with each other, the last one pressing against the diaphragm.

4 ny leakage of steam into the chamber beyond the diaphragm would produce a similar effect in that chamber.

Any lateral or virregular motion of the piston-rod will communicate itself to the disks within the cylinder, the whole moving as a solid body.

The cut disks are prevented from displacement by their connection with the solid ones at the-ends and centre, and the whole forms a steam-tight packing b, rings d, andthe elastic disks h, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

WM. H. T. CLARK. [11. s]

. Witnesses:

Gao. H. STRONG,

WILLIAM STAnIFonTH.

by an elastic ring, tl, which keeps them together, and

any escape of steam around the outside of the cylinwithout binding or pressing the piston-rod in any of 'Ihe movable cylinder D, with the enclosed disks l1 

